The 10 best exercise tips ever
We present to you the 10 best exercise tips ever:
- Get medical clearance – There may be a medical reason for not just jumping into a new exercise plan. Why put yourself in harms way? It is sage advice to go get a physical, and get a doctor to give you the okay to proceed.
- Hire professional help – Whether you are a seasoned gym veteran, or a total newbie, it’s a good idea to get help. A Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) will help you layout an effective workout. When it comes to proper form, a CPT will set you straight.
A Registered Nutritionist/Dietician will layout a proper meal plan. They will show you what to eat, and what not to eat.
- Have a plan – Never step into the gym without having a game plan. When your training session is planned out, it will be at it’s most efficient. You will then get the most out of your workout. The amount of time in the gym will also be minimized.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail – unknown
- Keep a log – When you track your workouts, later you’ll be able to see your progress as you work towards your goals. Not only that, planning future workouts gets much easier.
- Warm-up and cool-down – Whether doing cardio or resistance training, always perform warm-ups at the start. You’ll lubricate joints, increase blood flow to muscles, and loosen tendons up. All of this means fewer injuries.
On the flip side, cooling down helps rid the body of lactic acid that is built up during exercise. It also aids your heart rate to return to normal. Conclude all training sessions with a cool down. If you are running on the treadmill, try walking for 5 minutes. After weight training, jump on the bike for 5-10 minutes at a slow pace.
- Exercise with intensity – No matter if you are training on the elliptical machine, or doing barbell squats, train with intensity. Muscle needs to be pushed to get stronger. Fat burning happens when the body is pushed. Train with purpose. Train with intensity.
- Stretch – After you have exercised, and completed a cool-down, take a few minutes to stretch. It will help maintain, and increase Range of Motion (ROM). Stretching, like the cool-down, will help to evacuate lactic acid.
- Stay consistent – Never stray from your schedule. Set days. Set times. Do not waiver. Consistency is what will push you through those barriers. It’s a good idea to vary your schedule now and again, but always have it planned.
- Dress comfortable – Wear clothes that are lose fitting, easy to move around in. Nobody wants to look like a scrub. Don’t let that keep you from being comfortable. It could be one of the most overlooked aspects training. If you feel uncomfortable, you will stop.
- Have fun – This is probably one of the top pieces of advice that you could receive. Enjoy exercising. If you don’t have a good time, you will not want to stick with it. Fun is motivating. If you find yourself not having fun, find another activity that is.
BONUS
Training partner – Often easier said than done, finding a reliable exercise buddy is a great motivator. You are accountable to somebody else. You might be surprised at how another person can push you to the next level. Once you have learned to push yourself hard, you can go farther still with the help of others.
P.S.
This is all great advice. Do you have any tips that you find help you?
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Having fun and staying consistent are probably the two biggest things that I work on. If it’s not fun, I don’t want to do it.
@Tim, I agree with that. I liked, the suggestion about dressing comfortable. I don’t dress like a fashion show. Every week I see girls in kickboxing class that are all decked out with the latest stuff.
@Tim Yes, if you aren’t enjoying yourself, exercise just won’t last long. I think that’s why so many people give up within the first month or two of the new year.
@Anne I think for some, they have to look good. Those people are probably trolling for a a date, or are trying to stroke their ego.
What a great and all inclusive list. I find so many people who don;t believe the importance of stretching not only before but also after a good workout to give your body time to get back to it’s normal or at least close to it’s normal heart rate.
Also when you work out as you mentioned to make it an intense workout. I love these commercials that tell you how much weight you can lose doing a twenty minute workout three times a week and viola.
I was also under the impression and again i am not an expert but doesn’t it take like 20 minutes into a good workout until your body actually starts to burn calories?
When I did workout I would never think to do less then a good hour and 20 minutes of that was the warm-up and cool-down.
Just remember it didn’t take you a week to gain that extra 20 pounds so don’t expect miracles in your first week either.
Good to see you Glenn.
The 20 minute rule is really for LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) type cardio. for instance jumping on treadmill to jog or walk. If you use HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), you will be wiped out by minute 20.
I use the same philosophy when weight training also. While working in the 6-8 rep per set range, I only rest for 60-seconds. This keeps the heart rate up for the duration.
Both of these get me in and out of the gym as fast as possible. I love working out, but my gym rat days are LONG behind me.
Hi! I finally had to pop over from Josh Hanagarne’s site to find out who the big arms belonged to:)
Very cool site. I read your about page, and guess what? That’s me. College, marriage, 3 kids, but when I got off track was when my mom died. It just took the wind out of my sails and it was “Hello, 20 pounds.” Gross.
I’m now just getting going again and need a little extra motivation. I’m going to hang out here and see if I can get some.
Thanks
Debbie Ferm
Debbie, welcome aboard. It’s good to have you here. I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. My dad passing was one of the things that lit a fire under my butt to take better care of myself.
I hope that you are able to get some good info here. If we can answer any questions for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Todd